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The Keep talk:Habitican Exploration and Research Organization (H.E.R.O.)/Challenge 4:Be Prepared
Dan O'Dea's Entry To-do list for trips lasting a week or less. * Make a complete meal and freeze it. Something like a soup, chili, or stew is good. * Back up your computer files (you should be doing this every week anyway) and store them in a safe place (including from fire and water damage). * Take pictures of every room and the exterior. * Call your credit card company and let them know you’ll be using the card. * If necessary, turn thermostat down (in winter) or up (in summer) so climate control is minimal. NOTE: in winter, the house should remain at least 50 degrees F (15 C) to prevent the pipes from freezing. In the summer the A/C should not run; nobody’s home to keep cool (unless you have pets, then set it to 75 degrees F (25 C)). * Keep a lamp plugged into a timer to come on at dusk and turn off at 11:00 PM). * Call someone trustworthy and tell them your itinerary (see next few items) * Make sure someone can take care of the dog and cats (walks? Can you leave your dog out for a week? Some people do, but you still have to feed them.) * Have someone pick up your mail every day, or stop mail delivery if you can’t find someone. * Stop newspaper delivery. * Make a plain-paper copy of your passport. Never leave your actual passport with someone, leave the copy. * If you have a health condition, bring documentation. If you need medication, bring it. * Lock doors, gates, windows etc. For trips lasting a week or two, add these tasks. * Turn off and unplug all appliances (fridge stays on). This may require adjustments to the thermostat instructions above) * For quickly-perishable foods in the fridge, give them to someone. Note: bread, eggs, butter, nut milks, and most juices are OK to leave for two weeks; leftovers, meats (except lunch meats, but why are you eating those anyway?), soft fruits, and vegetables cannot be left for two weeks (apples will last that long). Frozen foods are fine for two weeks. * Have someone drive by the house every day or two, and call if anything seems out of order. * Set email Out Of Office reply, but DON’T tell anyone you’re going somewhere! * Have someone mow your lawn once a week. * Check if bills are due; if so, pay them. * Check your plants; if they are high-maintenance, plan for that (your house-sitter can water them, there are good auto-waterers etc.) For trips lasting longer than two weeks, add these tasks. * DON’T make a frozen meal for your return! * Turn off and unplug all appliances including the fridge. This means emptying all things from the refrigerator and freezer; give it away or compost it. * Turn off the main water supply (include the gas supply if your house has gas, or the propane tank if that’s what you have). * If you have scheduled deliveries, stop them. * Make sure you have enough medication etc. for your conditions both for your trip and for a few days when you return. Usually prescriptions only give you a month’s supply. Family survival kit (not sure how much it cost me to put it together, probably not as much as $75 per and less than $225 except for the spare cash). Tools don't count; I have any tool I might need (saws, axes, knives, tents, fire starter, my Leatherman, sleeping bags etc.) already. Also, perishable things like meds aren't included; they're in the same storage area (the kitchen and pantry are adjacent). Ten, 5-gallon jugs of water (from the tap). These are emptied (put out to drink, water plants, garden etc.) and refilled once a month. Two small flashlights and one larger one, using LED lights, and extra batteries. Hand-cranked emergency radio, which includes a phone charging port. Pair of two-way radios (uses the same batteries as the flashlights). Canned foods and hand-operated can opener. First aid kit. Extra toothbrushes. Spare pairs of glasses for everyone (as we get new scripts we keep the old pair). Cash (not sure how much anymore, probably $200 - $300). Set of six dice and a pack of cards. Several notebooks and pencils. A dog’s tale (based on a true story) All right, I’m going for a ride! I love rides: the smells, the wind in my face… why are we turning here? What’s this place? I smell lots of dogs and cats – and they’re afraid! What are my humans doing to me? My owners are dragging me in here! There are strangers! They sound nice but I don’t trust them. Now THEY are taking me! Oh no, my family’s leaving! I’d better take a dump and spread it around; maybe the strangers will return me to my family. No good! They’ve locked me in with another dog! I have to show him who’s boss – grrr! Growl! The strangers came again and put me in my own kennel. It’s huge! I’m going to run around. The strangers call my humans; I know because I hear their name. “She bit one of the other dogs. We had to put her in her own kennel. Can you come get her? What do you mean you’re in Florida? You just got there and you won’t be home for a week? We’ll be charging you an extra $10 a day.” My humans are back! I’d better give each stranger a kiss – no hard feelings! Dan odea (talk) 13:20, June 7, 2017 (UTC) Hope Erica's Entry Task #3 (Hope Erica) BUG OUT BOX: (Update and trade for new items quarterly) 1 gallon of water for each family member Several days worth of non-perishable food, all easy open. Remember picky eaters--poptarts are better than nothing. Several days worth of all meds for each household member. Change of underwear and socks for each adult, full set of clothes 1 size too big for each child, half dozen for infants. Menstrual supplies for any teen and adult women. Diapers and wipes for younger kids. Consider keeping some for true emergencies even when kids are toilet trained. Small hatchet and sturdy swiss army knife. Duct tape. First Aid kit augmented by family doctor--include wound care, erythromycin ophth ointment, tissue glue if you can get it. If you live in or near a cold weather clime, a jar candle and matches can keep you from freezing to death in your car. A folded tarp can work as protection from sun or rain. Flashlight and batteries. The only things from this you'll likely need to buy are the hatchet, swiss army knife, first aid kit and tarp. The rest should just be rotated out of your home supplies and back in quarterly, to be replaced by new supplies. If you live in a dense urban area at risk for wide spread evacuations, consider using bikes and back packs as your bug out plan rather than car and box. Keep everything ready to grab; needing to take ten minutes can mean getting stuck in a panic versus making a clean break. Leave when you FIRST start to wonder if you should. If you have to ask, the answer is GO. Get immunizations NOW. Natural disasters spread diptheria easily. If you would die before you abandoned your fur babies, have crates, food, water and dishes next to your bug out box, plus a treat container they are trained to come to when you shake it. That last is also great just for getting them out of the house in case of a fire. 20:46, June 13, 2017 (UTC) Drosera's Entry Task 2: That Which You Leave Behind For short trips (2-4 days): For longer trips (5-14 days): Mini-story: Can you tell I love my plants? I once went on a long-ish trip where the weather back home suddenly got HOT. I had moved all my plants to the shade, but had not been expecting so much heat. So halfway through the trip, a dear, wonderful friend bought several gallons of water, dragged them onto our patio, and watered the plants. In spite of the heat, they all survived the trip with the help of that extra watering, but since then I've realized I need to make better plans for them ahead of time. ~Drosera DroseraRegia (talk) 21:30, June 17, 2017 (UTC) Task 3: In Case of Emergency: ~Drosera DroseraRegia (talk) 19:15, June 19, 2017 (UTC) **Water all the plants **Check the weather: if it will be extremely hot move plants into the shade **Empty old food from the fridge and take out garbage **Tidy-up the kitchen **Tidy-up the living room (it's just nice to come back to a clean room) **Make sure the thermostat is set to a reasonable level **Turn off all unneeded electronics **All tasks for a short trip **Move all plants to the shade **Check the weather: will I need someone to come by and water the outdoor plants? **Indoor plants: Set up watering system, put "needy" plants in bags/domes to slow dry-out **1+ Gallon water per person **Water purifying tabs **1 Large backpack per person in case you need to get out quickly **Comfortable, tough/outdoorsy outfit for each person (don't evacuate a disaster in flip-flops!) **Easy-to-eat, high-energy, non-perishable food (think bars meant for hiking) **Flashlights - 1+ per person **Battery-powered phone charger **Spare batteries **Paper list of phone numbers (how many of us could remember our family's phone numbers if our cell phones died?) **Something warm, packable, and blanket-like for each person: A good sleeping bag, warm comforter, one of those thermal hiking blankets **Tarp for shelter, or large umbrellas **Waterproof matches or a good lighter **Utility tool/pocket knife